RAPID CITY — For the first half of Saturday’s Class A boys cross-country race Hill City’s Tate Grabow hung with a lead pack that included Dakota Valley’s Jack Brown. 

Grabow, a junior, pulled ahead on the second lap and cruised to the Class A title covering the 5,000-meter course in 16 minutes and :17 seconds, ahead of Vermillion freshman Gage Beverly (16:33) and Brown (16:36). 

“It was a gutsy race in general,” Grabow said. “I know Jack Brown really took it to me the first lap and a half. My race plan was if it’s going to hurt for me, I’m going to make it hurt for them so that’s what I did and I must have cracked them towards the end.” 

A year ago Grabow was the third runner for a Hill City team that ran away with the team title. Grabow finished eighth in 2023 and said he views this year’s individual title as the start of something special. 

“It was definitely different this year and I really do miss those two men (Luke Rupert and Leighton Aves),” he said. “I think a lot of people view us as the team that came after one of the greatest teams in South Dakota history. I view us as a new generation and I’m going to try to improve so I can get first next year.” 

The Hill City boys finished fifth in the Class A team race Saturday and Grabow said the home turf advantage was instrumental in his and the team's success. 

“It’s great we had so many fans from Hill City here today,” he said. “The course is painted green and it was just a very satisfying day.” 

On winning a state title this year following teammate Luke Rupert’s championship in 2023, Grabow thinks it will take a minute for the moment to soak in.

“I didn’t really fully grasp the magnitude of last year’s win,” he said. “Last year after the state meet it took me forever to appreciate the event but this is a massive win and I’m just going to enjoy it.”